The DC Center

11/30/2023

🌈 Elevate the new DC Center for the LGBTQ+ Community! Secure a commemorative brick and etch your message into the heart of our center, honoring cherished ones and admired organizations. Every contribution, no matter the size, is a cornerstone in building a vibrant, inclusive space for the LGBTQIA+ community.

🧱 Be a part of this monumental project! Head to thedccenter.org/buy-a-brick/ for more information and to make your mark. Together, we create a sanctuary for all. Thank you for your priceless support! 🌟 +

11/29/2023

Our Executive Director Kimberley Bush (KB)'s new favorite beanie!

Check out our table with new giveaways/ long sleeve 👕s and more importantly The Inaugural DC LGBTQ+ Housing Summit today and tomorrow at MLK Library.

11/28/2023

Consider supporting the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center this

We serve as a hub for education, empowerment, celebration, and connection within the LGBTQ+ community. By focusing on health and wellness, arts and culture, social and peer support, and advocacy and community building, we strive to create a more welcoming and inclusive society for all. We can do it without your support!

Make a donation or purchase a brick in our Buy a Brick Program. https://thedccenter.org/buy-a-brick.

11/28/2023

Consider supporting the LGBTQ+ Community Center this

Your support will allow us to build community! We advocate for policies and legislation that protect and advance the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, working closely with local leaders and organizations. We also work to build bridges within the community, connecting individuals, organizations, and resources to create a stronger and more inclusive community.

Make a donation or purchase a brick in our Buy a Brick Program. https://thedccenter.org/buy-a-brick.

11/28/2023

Consider supporting the LGBTQ+ Community Center this

Your support will allow us to continue to provide social and peer support programs that foster a sense of belonging and connection. We provide safe spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals to come together, share experiences, and offer support to one another. These programs include social events, support groups, mentoring programs, and networking opportunities.

Make a donation or purchase a brick in our Buy a Brick Program. https://thedccenter.org/buy-a-brick.

11/28/2023

Consider supporting the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center on this

Your support will allow us to play a significant role in our art and culture community. We strive to create spaces for LGBTQ+ artists to showcase their work and express themselves. We host art exhibits, performances, and cultural events to celebrate the rich diversity and creativity within our community.

Make a donation or purchase a brick in our Buy a Brick Program. https://thedccenter.org/buy-a-brick.

11/28/2023

Consider supporting the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center on this

Your support will allow us to address the unique needs of LGBTQ+ individuals, including physical and mental health. We provide health education, workshops, and support groups to promote overall well-being and access to healthcare.

Consider making a donation or purchasing a brick in our Buy a Brick Program. https://thedccenter.org/buy-a-brick.

11/27/2023

If you're looking for deals or looking for some gifts for the holiday season please support gc2b They donate binders for us to give to the community but also support their businesses. Get a binder for a friend who needs one. Buy several and donate them to a LGBTQ Center. This is a great organization that has been helping the community for years. Share this with a friend!

***r

11/26/2023

🌈 Check out what's happening this week at the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center! Visit thedccenter.org/events to register and participate 🏳️‍🌈

11/22/2023

Mark Your Calendar! November 28th is . Help us raise needed funds for DC’s new DC Center for the LGBTQ+ Community!

11/19/2023

Check out what we have going on this week at the DC Center!

11/17/2023

Curious about what it means to run for office as an LGBTQ+ person? Join us for a FREE one-day Candidate & Campaign 101 Training to cover the basics of campaigning, messaging, fundraising, and so much more. LGBTQ+ Victory Institute LGBTQ+ Victory Institute is the only organization to exclusively provide trainings for LGBTQ+ folks looking to run for public office and we want YOU to join us for a one-day program to engage, inform, and excite our community to increase LGBTQ+ representation on the ballot.

The program will begin at 9am and run until 3pm. To register for the FREE program, us this link
https://secure.everyaction.com/yVHVwj4QWEmKAg0bbQjR2A2

You do not need to be a conference attendee to register for this free program.

For more information or any questions, please email [email protected].

11/16/2023

(As of 11/17 THIS IS FULL - NO MORE BOOKINGS!)

Last year, the DC Center was able to provide individually-packaged Thanksgiving meals from Wegman's. The program was a great success, and we were excited to continue that plan again this year.

This year we were ALSO contacted by Food & Friends about providing us Thanksgiving Feasts. Before 2020, we had offered in-person Thanksgiving events, and used those feasts to provide food to eat and take home for participants. In 2020 & 2021 we had divided up those feasts into the individually-packaged grab-and-go meals we gave away.

This year we already had individual meals handled, so we're offering the meals to the community.

These are fully-cooked ready to reheat Thanksgiving Feasts (see picture). Food & Friends says the meals are good for 5-6 people.

If you're interested, please RSVP here: https://thedccenter.org/events/thanksgiving-feast-lottery/

We'll allow signups till 5 pm on Monday the 20th then let people know by 6 whether they've won. Due to the size of the feasts and the availability of staff, you MUST pick up your thanksgiving meals in person (delivery is not a possibility). Pickup will be available on Wednesday the 22nd from 12 - 8 pm. They are typically packaged in a giant blue IKEA bag, if that helps you plan to transport the feast.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Also please acknowledge we are on Nacotchtank, Piscataway and Pamunkey nations land.

11/13/2023

Christina Dobbins, a senior in the Psychology program at San Francisco State. is working with Dr. Charlotte Tate on a research project, and they are recruiting any and all q***r and trans folks living in the U.S. to participate in a study regarding their experiences of gender (in all its manifestations) and s*xuality. Hence, the study is called QTSAGES for Q***r and Trans Sexuality And Gender Study. The study is by and for the LGBTQ+ community and seeks to get a sense of the contours of our community.

bit.ly/qtsages

There is a $100 reward for 10 winners in their raffle.
***rdc

11/12/2023

Hello community! Check out what's happening at the DC Center this week. More details at: thedccenter.org/calendar/

11/12/2023

Check out Spooky Action Theater's latest production of the Brazilian playwright Newton Moreno's Agreste between October 26 - November 19, 2023.

This captivating play deals with themes of intolerance, tolerance, love and acceptance.

For more details and to purchase tickets visit: spookyaction.org/current-show.html

11/09/2023

!!! LAST DAY TO RSVP FOR YOUR THANKSGIVING MEAL !!!

This Thanksgiving season we have partnered with Wegmans to provide the community with free hot takeout meals on Wednesday, Nov. 20th. We are also exploring the possibility of a Thanksgiving Day Zoom hangout. If you are interested in either please visit the RSVP link below by Nov. 10th. *Spots are limited and registration is required*

RSVP: tinyurl.com/dcthanks23

11/09/2023

This Thanksgiving season we have partnered with Wegmans to provide the community with free hot takeout meals on Wednesday, Nov. 20th. We are also exploring the possibility of a Thanksgiving Day Zoom hangout. If you are interested in either please visit the RSVP link below by Nov. 10th. *Spots are limited and registration is required*

RSVP: tinyurl.com/dcthanks23

11/07/2023

Tomorrow Please join the DC Center for the LGBTQ+ Community and The Geller Law Group The Geller Law Group for a webinar on Gender and Name Changes. Wed November 8th Virtually

Via Microsoft Teams. https://tinyurl.com/GLGDCCenter

If you have been considering legally changing your name or gender, this webinar is a chance to learn more about how the process works and what it entails. Geller Law Group attorney, Chandra Sheppard, will review what documents and forms you’ll need for the process, any costs associated with it, how to know if a name/gender change is right for you, and what to expect when you get started.

The Geller Law Group (GLG) is an award-winning, women-owned and operated law firm serving Virginia, DC, and Maryland. GLG attorneys apply a big firm work ethic and mandate for high quality with small firm, affordable rates. The firm’s small size also lends itself to the personal and prompt service one expects from their legal counsel. All legal services are tailored to clients’ needs and focused on proactively helping clients reach their goals. Whether they are helping a client navigate the challenges of separation and divorce, creating end-of-life documents for parents, assisting LGBTQIA+ individuals with adoptions, or advising a young minority entrepreneur in starting their own business, their clients’ happiness and successes are what motivate the team.

***r ***rcommunity

11/07/2023

Please join us and the Metropolitan Community Church in DC for this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, and help us spread the word that we are returning to an in-person service with a virtual option.

Monday November 20, 2023
Community Church DC
474 Ridge Street NW

Doors: 5pm Program: 6-7:30pm
Online: live.mccdc.com

The Transgender Day of Remembrance occurs annually on November 20th to honor those who have been murdered because of transphobia and those who have survived gender-based violence. The overarching goal is to bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community with the hope to one day end it.

Since TDOR last November, at least 358 transgender people were murdered worldwide. 25 of those were in the United States this year. In D.C., we will uplift the memory of local sisters killed this year: Jasmine “Star” Parker, Skylar Harrison Reeves, and A’Nee Roberson.

We honor the legacy of those we have lost, and we draw strength from the community of those who are still with us. There is tremendous pain in their deaths. And yet, somehow, hope.

“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”

11/06/2023

Support the new DC Center for the LGBTQ+ Community by purchasing a commemorative brick! Your personalized message will become a permanent part of the center, honoring loved ones and organizations. Contributions of any amount are deeply appreciated and vital in creating a safe, vibrant space for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Join us in this transformative project. For more details and to buy-a-brick visit: thedccenter.org/buy-a-brick/

Thank you for your invaluable support!

***r

11/04/2023

The DC Center for the LGBT Community is partnering with the Double Exposure Film Festival on the Washington premiere of 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture, a documentary film that chronicles the shocking discovery of a gay seminary scholar and a straight activist seeking to uncover the origins of the rabid homophobia of the conservative church: In 1946, an erroneous translation of the term homos*xual in the Bible that has been weaponized against the LGBTQIA+ community ever since.

Showing: Sunday, Nov 5th, 1:30 PM @ The Theater at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in DC

DX Film Lineup and Tix here: dxfest.com/films/

11/01/2023

Please support RideShare2Vote. They are on a mission to make sure every voter in Virginia has an equal opportunity to cast their vote, and have their voice heard in the upcoming election on November 7th.

They are currently looking for volunteer drivers to support their cause. As a volunteer driver, they will play a crucial role in safely getting voters to the polls.

Attached here is the link to sign up for any volunteers who are interested in this opportunity! https://r2vote.co/learn

Please direct questions to [email protected], or call 888-977-2250.

10/28/2023

LAST CALL - The Reel Affirmations Virtual Film Festival has 43 LGBTQ+ available online today and tomorrow, 10/28 and 10/29, before the curtains close on this year’s outstanding new films. For a complete Festival lineup and to buy your tickets, click here: https://bit.ly/3RtPd2t

PASS DEALS - Reel Affirmations Virtual Film Festival
$10 - Individual Tickets per Virtual Screening
$25 - Th*****me Pass: Select Three (3) Virtual Screenings
$55 - Six Pack Pass: Select Six (6) Virtual Screenings
$150 - Sweet Sixteen: The 16-pack Virtual Pass

10/27/2023

Celebrate LGBTQ+ Cinema and enjoy PASS DEALS! DC's Int'l LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Reel Affirmations, celebrated our 30th anniversary last Saturday night at Eaton House. Join us in the celebration - watch some of the very best new films in the REEL AFFIRMATIONS VIRTUAL FILM FESTIVAL while they're still available (until Sunday 10/29); many are not available elsewhere! Check out the complete lineup plus buy your tickets here: https://bit.ly/3RtPd2t

PASS DEALS - Reel Affirmations Virtual Film Festival
$10 - Individual Tickets per Virtual Screening
$25 - Th*****me Pass: Select Three (3) Virtual Screenings
$55 - Six Pack Pass: Select Six (6) Virtual Screenings
$150 - Sweet Sixteen: The 16-pack Virtual Pass

10/26/2023

Explore LGBTQ+ storytelling like never before with our Virtual Film Festival and get PASS DEALS TODAY! Now thru Sunday night 10/29, be part of a vibrant cinematic experience with 43 films, 10 feature-length and 33 short films in six screenings including Best of Shorts, Funny Stuff, Parenthood, Q***r Mirror, Radicals, and Transitions. Check out the complete Virtual Festival lineup plus buy your tickets here: https://bit.ly/3RtPd2t

PASS DEALS - Reel Affirmations Virtual Film Festival
$10 - Individual Tickets per Virtual Screening
$25 - Th*****me Pass: Select Three (3) Virtual Screenings
$55 - Six Pack Pass: Select Six (6) Virtual Screenings
$150 - Sweet Sixteen: The 16-pack Virtual Pass

10/25/2023

The Equality Chambers Foundation will be hosting DC S.A.F.E. on Wednesday, Nov. 1st at 2:30pm. Join them in expanding safety and inclusivity in the workplace for the LGBTQ+ community in DC.

Zoom link will be sent upon registration. Register here: bit.ly/DC_SAFE_TH1_2023

10/25/2023

Please join the DC Center for the LGBTQ+ Community and The Geller Law Group The Geller Law Group for a webinar on Gender and Name Changes. Wed November 8th Virtually Via Microsoft Teams. https://tinyurl.com/GLGDCCenter

If you have been considering legally changing your name or gender, this webinar is a chance to learn more about how the process works and what it entails. Geller Law Group attorney, Chandra Sheppard, will review what documents and forms you’ll need for the process, any costs associated with it, how to know if a name/gender change is right for you, and what to expect when you get started.

The Geller Law Group (GLG) is an award-winning, women-owned and operated law firm serving Virginia, DC, and Maryland. GLG attorneys apply a big firm work ethic and mandate for high quality with small firm, affordable rates. The firm’s small size also lends itself to the personal and prompt service one expects from their legal counsel. All legal services are tailored to clients’ needs and focused on proactively helping clients reach their goals. Whether they are helping a client navigate the challenges of separation and divorce, creating end-of-life documents for parents, assisting LGBTQIA+ individuals with adoptions, or advising a young minority entrepreneur in starting their own business, their clients’ happiness and successes are what motivate the team.

10/25/2023

What happens in Norway stays in Norway. Or Does it!? Find out in director Leiv Igor Devold’s Romance/Drama “Norwegian Dreams” (2023), from Norway/Poland/Germany. This DC Premiere film is screening online in the Reel Affirmations Virtual Film Festival now thru Sunday 10/29. See the complete Virtual Festival lineup plus buy your tickets here: https://bit.ly/3RtPd2t

“Norwegian Dreams” Film Synopsis: “Robert travels from Poland to begin work in a salmon processing plant off the Trøndelag coast in Norway. Isolated and far from home he plans to keep his head down and work hard, seeking financial security for him and his mother. However, his focus shifts when he begins spending time with colleague, and aspiring drag queen, Ivar. Robert’s budding relationship and loyalty to his fellow workers is tested when a strike breaks out and his employer offers him a solution for his financial troubles. Will he choose the security he has sacrificed so much for or a chance at love with Ivar?”

Reel Affirmations Virtual Film Festival Ticket Packages:
$10 - Individual Tickets per Virtual Screening
$25 - Th*****me Pass: Select Three (3) Virtual Screenings
$55 - Six Pack Pass: Select Six (6) Virtual Screenings
$150 - Sweet Sixteen: The 16-pack Virtual Pass

10/24/2023

LOL!!! The hilarious short film “Dilating for Maximum Results” (2023) is screening online in the Reel Affirmations Virtual Film Festival, now thru Sunday 10/29. Screening in the “FUNNY STUFF” showcase with five other stellar comedy shorts, we hope your insurance premiums are paid up because you may bust a gut! See the complete Festival lineup plus buy your tickets here: https://bit.ly/3RtPd2t

Watch an interview with Director, Nyala Moon, and hear all about the inspiration for this fun film.

Reel Affirmations Virtual Film Festival Ticket Packages
$10 - Individual Tickets per Virtual Screening
$25 - Th*****me Pass: Select Three (3) Virtual Screenings
$55 - Six Pack Pass: Select Six (6) Virtual Screenings
$150 - Sweet Sixteen: The 16-pack Virtual Pass

10/24/2023

Tonight Tonight!!!!

Join the Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs Mayor's Office on LGBTQ Affairs for Mayor Muriel Bowser's historic 36th Annual 17th Street High Heel Race! Let's celebrate the diversity of our District's LGBTQIA+ community.

Anyone can join the race in their heels. If you just want to wear your street clothes and watch we recommend that too. Either way so much fun for everyone. Bring the whole family.

Tuesday, October 24
17th Street NW (P Street to S Street NW) 7:30 P.M.
7:30pm

***r

10/24/2023

How to watch the Reel Affirmations Virtual Film Festival? Pick a package! Now through Sunday, Oct. 29, we have 43 Films available for you online with 10 Feature Films and 33 Shorts in 6 Showcases (1. Best of Shorts, 2. Funny Stuff, 3. Parenthood, 4. Q***r Mirror, 5. Radicals, 6. Transitions). To help simplify it all for you, we’ve created the various package options below. Check out the entire virtual film lineup then buy your tickets. Easy peasy! Complete Film Guide and Tickets Here: https://reelaffirmations2023.eventive.org/schedule

$10 - Individual Tickets per Virtual Screening
$25 - Th*****me Pass: Select Three (3) Virtual Screenings
$55 - Six Pack Pass: Select Six (6) Virtual Screenings
$150 - Sweet Sixteen: The 16-pack Virtual Pass

Feature Length Films

At the End of Evin (2021)
Directors: Mehdi Torab-Beigi, Mohammad Torab-Beigi 78 Min Drama/Mystery Iran
DC Premiere
A strong story about a transgender girl in Iran who is finding a rich man to pay for her gender operation, only to find out that it was just a horrific plan against her.

Coming Around (2023) - Hybrid
Director: Sandra Itäinen 75 Min Documentary USA DC Premiere
A q***r Muslim woman from Brooklyn grapples with the complexities of faith, s*xuality and her difficult decision to come out to the most important figure in her life - her strictly devout, psychiatrist mother.

Finlandia (2021)
Director: Horacio Alcala 97 Min Drama/Fantasy Spain/Mexico DC Premiere
A devastating heartquake hits Oaxaca. After that, nothing will be the same for the lives of the Muxes, the so-called third gender.

Follow the Protocol (2022) - Hybrid
Director: Fábio Leal 75 Min Comedy Brazil DC Premiere
After months of self-imposed lockdown, hypochondriac Francisco wants to have s*x — but only if it’s as safe as physically possible.

Girls Don't Cry (2022)
Director: Andrea Zuliani 104 Min Drama/Romance Italy DC Premiere
Ele, a 19-year-old girl originally from northern Italy who had settled down with her mother in Basilicata, runs away with her father’s old camper van just before her high school graduation exam to save it from getting scrapped. But, in the camper van she finds Mia, a 21-year-old Romanian girl who had taken shelter in it the night before.
The two girls’ runaway turns into a journey towards the border. The geographical border of the country, the border between friendship and love, between adolescence and adulthood.

How To Tell A Secret (2022)
Directors: Anna Rodgers, Shaun Dunne 109 Min Documentary Ireland
A powerful examination of the experiences of people who are living with HIV in Ireland today, How to Tell A Secret is a hybrid documentary film that looks at social stigma and the art of telling your story.

Leon (2023)
Director: Wojciech Gostomczyk 81 Min Documentary Poland North American Premiere
This Polish verité documentary follows a uniquely eccentric performance artist at the margins of society who also just happens to be committed lovers with fashion-superstar Thierry Mugler right up until the latter man’s very unexpected death in early 2022. Performance artist Leon (60) rejects limits between art and life which puts him often in conflict with society and family. To overcome a middle-age crisis, Leon decides to work on his last big show which will prove that he is still a viable artist.

Norwegian Dreams (2023) - Hybrid
Director: Leiv Igor Devold 97 Min Drama/Romance Norway/Poland/Germany
DC Premiere
Robert travels from Poland to begin work in a salmon processing plant off the Trøndelag coast in Norway. Isolated and far from home he plans to keep his head down and work hard, seeking financial security for him and his mother. However, his focus shifts when he begins spending time with colleague, and aspiring drag queen, Ivar. Robert’s budding relationship and loyalty to his fellow workers is tested when a strike breaks out and his employer offers him a solution for his financial troubles. Will he choose the security he has sacrificed so much for or a chance at love with Ivar?

Q***r Exile Berlin (2023)
Director: Jochen Hick 102 Min Documentary Germany North American Premiere
The film interweaves the personal stories and ambitions of the q***r protagonists with historical events and current issues. The result is a true image of Berlin as a perpetual place of longing and a challenge to all those who arrive there. A city in constant transition.

The Sharpness of The Scissors (2023)
Director: David Marcial Valverdi 69 Min Documentary/Animation Argentina North American Premiere
As if filling out the profile for a dating app, the director dissects his story and builds a log of desire. He converges images of his childhood in a hairdressing salon in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, the codes of cruising in the late 90s, and the daily life of the throuple he was part of for 7 years.

10/23/2023

WAIT - IT'S NOT OVER YET!! DC's LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Reel Affirmations is now screening 43 fantastic LGBTQ+ films online in the "Reel Affirmations Virtual Film Festival" through Sunday, Oct. 29th. There are so many amazing LGBTQ+ stories it may be difficult to choose - so we've made it easier for you with the various package options below. Check out the entire virtual film lineup plus buy your tickets: https://reelaffirmations2023.eventive.org/schedule

$10 - Individual Tickets per Virtual Screening
$25 - Th*****me Pass: Select Three (3) Virtual Screenings
$55 - Six Pack Pass: Select Six (6) Virtual Screenings
$150 - Sweet Sixteen: The 16-pack Virtual Pass

10/22/2023

Have your Sunday Funday with Reel Affirmations, DC's LGBTQ+ Films Festival now screening the final live films from this year's Festival, at Eaton Hotel. Check out the schedule below and get your tix online or at the onsite box office - 1201 K St. NW. Link: https://bit.ly/3RWgDyf

3:00 PM
All the Colors of the World Are Between Black and White (2023)
Director: Babatunde Apalowo 92 Min Drama/Romance Nigeria DC Premiere
Bambino and Bawa meet in Lagos and hit it off immediately. During their long trips around the city, they develop a deep affection for each other. But in a society which considers homos*xuality taboo, they feel the pressure of social norms.

5:00 PM
Before I Change My Mind (2022)
Director: Trevor Anderson 99 Min Drama Canada DC Premiere
While the other students wonder if new kid Robin is a boy or a girl, Robin forges a complicated bond with the school bully, making increasingly dangerous choices to fit in.

7:00 PM
Queendom (2023)
Director: Agniia Galdanova 101 Min Documentary/History France/USA
From the producers behind WELCOME TO CHECHNYA comes the haunting, high-stakes tale of Gena, a uniquely provocative q***r artist from a small town in Russia prior to and during the Ukrainian invasion. Gena dresses in otherworldly costumes and drag made from junk and tape, and protests the government on the streets of Moscow. She stages radical performances in public that become a new form of art and activism - and put her life in constant danger.

9:00 PM – DOUBLE SCREENING
Shortbus (2006) - Retrospective Screening
Director: John Cameron Mitchell 61 Min Comedy/Drama/Romance USA
A group of New Yorkers caught up in their romantic/s*xual milieu converge at Shortbus, an underground Brooklyn salon infamous for its blend of art, music, politics, and carnality, and loosely inspired by various underground NYC gatherings that took place in the early 2000s. Here, gay couple Jamie and James meet Ceth, a young ex-model and aspiring singer.

Youssou & Malek (2002) - Hybrid
Director: Simon Frenay 27 Min Drama/Musical France DC Premiere
Youssou and Malek are in love but they now have to say goodbye. Tomorrow, Youssou is flying off to the other side of the world, leaving behind him Malek and the neighborhood where they grew up. They promised each other to meet at the top of the hill for their last sunset together.

10/22/2023

Check out ALL of the film reviews by Metro Weekly, one of Reel Affirmations biggest champions and supporters. Today is DC's LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Reel Affirmations final day of live films screening in the plush screening room at the Eaton Hotel. Starting at 12midnight enjoy the Reel Affirmations Virtual Film Festival with 43 films available online 10/23-10/29. View the complete film lineup and buy tix here: https://bit.ly/3RtPd2t

Reviews of every single feature, documentary, and short in the 2023 Reel Affirmations LGBTQ film festival.